Something strong and strange was at work deep within him.”
–Zane Grey (Fighting Caravans)
“Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.”
–Acts 27:25 (NASB)
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Hurry up, Lord! Where are You? Why aren’t You acting on my behalf? Don’t You care? We seem to always be in a rush, and probably more so than in years past as we’re used to fast…everything. However, when we pray, our schedule is not what matters. “True prayer is putting oneself under God’s influence.” (H.E. Fosdick) True prayer is understanding that God is there and in control, however, do not be disheartened, He is aware of our need, the timing, and what needs to be done. David, in writing Psalm 141 needed a quick answer to his prayer.
1 — LORD, I cry out to You; make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.
2 — Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3 — Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 — Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 — Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness, and let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked. (NKJV)
We want justice and we want it now. I have been reading Habakkuk and that was the cry of the prophet, but when the Lord answered, he didn’t care much for His reply. In other words, when we pray, we might not say it but we might have in our thoughts, “Do it now Lord, and do it my way.” George Wood reminds us that “emergencies on earth are not always emergencies in heaven.”
Notice what David said in regard to his prayer. He mentions incense and the evening sacrifice. “Prayer deodorizes the foulness of your circumstances by perfuming them with praise and trust in the Lord.” (Wood) This prayer of David’s must have been in response or because of his enemies. As you read the Psalms have you noticed how often David refers to his enemies being a thorn to him? David had many enemies; enemies of various kinds. Stop–think of it; we are faced constantly with the threat of the enemies of our soul–the devil and his minions.
David then prays that the Lord guard his mouth. He wanted to make sure nothing hasty or reckless came from it. He understands that in the heat of a moment he might say something that would bring reproach to the Lord. By our mouth, our words, we often want others to feel our pain, our trouble. Why? “Don’t surrender your tongue to revenge, rage, self-pity, and blame.” (Wood) Take a moment to recall the struggle between Satan and Michael. The great archangel said he dared not bring a slanderous accusation against the devil. If he did that would find himself in a trap prepared by the enemy to make him slip. Wood states, “Too many have shipwrecked their faith by acting like the devil when fighting the devil.”
There will come a day when the wicked will be destroyed–evil will be chained and done away with and the Lord will reign in truth, power, and justice, but until then… “Do not incline my heart to any evil thing.” Remember the words of the Lord’s prayer: “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13, NKJV) I like the way Phillips translates this: “Keep us clear of temptation, and save us from evil.” As the Lord knew, there was the “evil one” who is after our souls; as David prayed, as we should pray.
“Not so in haste, my heart! Have faith in God and wait;
Although He linger long, He never comes too late.
He never comes too late; He knoweth what is best;
Vex not thyself in vain; until He cometh, rest.”
–Bradford Torrey